TORONTO, ON — The Law Society of Ontario presented a degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LLD), to the Honorable Senator Murray Sinclair at its Call to the Bar ceremony on September 28, 2018 at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.
As part of its Call ceremonies each year, the Law Society awards honorary doctorates to distinguished people in recognition of outstanding achievements in the legal profession, the rule of law, or the cause of justice. Recipients serve as inspirational keynote speakers for the new lawyers attending the ceremonies.
Senator Sinclair is a highly respected and dedicated leader in Canada. Following his call to the Manitoba Bar in 1980, he practised primarily in the fields of civil and criminal litigation and Aboriginal law. In 1988, he became the first Indigenous judge in Manitoba (and the second in Canada) when he was appointed Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba. In 2001, he was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba.
As Chair of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2009 – 2015), Senator Sinclair was instrumental in documenting the history of Indian Residential Schools in Canada and the accounts of more than 6,750 residential school Survivors. His wisdom and leadership delivered the first comprehensive report on this dark chapter in our history, including 94 Calls to Action to guide Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians to reconciliation.
His service to the country and Indigenous people has been widely recognized with numerous honorary degrees, Canada’s World Peace Award in 2016, the 2017 National Aboriginal Lifetime Achievement Award and the Meritorious Service Cross for his work on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
He has been widely recognized with numerous honorary degrees, and was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016. (See full biography online.)
Law Society Treasurer, Malcolm M. Mercer awarded the honorary LLD to Senator Murray Sinclair, who then delivered the keynote address to the new lawyers at the ceremony.
Provided by The Law Society
The Law Society regulates lawyers and paralegals in Ontario in the public interest. The Law Society has a mandate to protect the public interest, to maintain and advance the cause of justice and the rule of law, to facilitate access to justice for the people of Ontario and act in a timely, open and efficient manner.
